Madhya Pradesh Man Claims He Is Being Framed In PM Modi Abuse Row

Nek Mohammad Rizwi, a BJP supporter, is being accused online of allegedly abusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi at a Bihar rally, which has become the latest flashpoint between the ruling party and the Opposition in the run-up to the high-stakes election. He has now broken his silence and pushed back against apparent attempts to frame him as a 'BJP plant' in the incident.

Mr Mohammad said he has no Bihar connection and asserted he never visited the state where polls are due this year-end. It is a disinformation campaign that aims to defame the BJP, Mr Mohammad told NDTV, targeting the Congress for being unable to digest that Muslims are supporting the BJP. He has also filed a police complaint seeking the removal of his photos from social media.

"I have no connection with Bihar. I have never visited Bihar. I have not abused anyone. Modi ji is our leader. I have lodged a complaint to remove my photos from social media; there is a disinformation campaign against me and an attempt to defame the BJP," said Mr Mohammad.

Read: BJP Slams Rahul Gandhi For "Extremely Shameful Abuse" Of PM At Bihar Rally

The controversy erupted yesterday with the BJP claiming "extremely abusive language" was used against PM Modi and his late mother, Heeraben, at Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi's 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar this week. The yatra "humiliated the people of Bihar (and) crossed all limits of insult, hatred, and lowliness", it said, targeting Mr Gandhi and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav.

Soon, a 33-second unverified video from the rally in Darbhanga district started being shared widely, showing a local leader shouting expletives at the Prime Minister from the dais. Neither Mr Gandhi nor Mr Yadav was on the stage at that time. Some posts claimed that the man was Mr Mohammad, with photos of him with top BJP leaders surfacing soon.

Speaking to NDTV, Mr Mohammad denied it was him and said his fake photos were being used to defame him and the BJP.

Read: Congress, BJP Workers Clash In Patna Amid PM Modi Abuse Row

"The Congress is wondering why Muslims are supporting the BJP and not them. The BJP is doing a lot of good work for the country. This inspired us to be with the BJP. I condemn the use of my fake photo. Check my call details and locations. I have never visited Bihar in my lifetime. I have no relation at all with Bihar," he said, showing a copy of his police complaint on the camera.

A local BJP worker said he filed a case against Mr Gandhi after the incident. Responding to an online query, Bihar Police said they have arrested a suspect but did not name him. Mr Mohammad clarified he wasn't the one, as was believed after his name surfaced in the incident.

The Congress distanced itself from the allegations yesterday and said that the BJP was raising "irrelevant" issues.

The BJP, however, did not back down. Union Home Minister Amit Shah told a rally in Assam that the Congress "always abused PM Modi" and called the incident a "stain" on the country. "Under Rahul Gandhi's leadership, Congress's politics has reached its lowest level," he later wrote in an online post.